Queensland Government
Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services

Table of contents:

Season's Greetings and thank you

On behalf of DSQ I would like to wish you and your family a safe and happy holiday season and thank you for your contribution to the DS NMDS during 2004.

I look forward to working in a constructive and positive partnership with the sector in the collection of data for 2004-05.

Brad Swan
Assistant Director-General
Corporate & Executive Services and Accommodation Support & Respite Services.

Online Data Collection - 2004-05

ODC is now up and running!

ODC is provided free of charge by DSQ to assist you in meeting your reporting requirements under the DS NMDS.

For the most part the ODC application has been successful in providing a simple and easy to use data collection tool. While there have been some minor issues with the application, DSQ is continuing to work with the application developers to address all known issues to provide a high quality data collection tool.

Over the next few weeks DSQ will be releasing user documentation for ODC as well as vastly improving the look and content of the online help that is available from within ODC.

Your patience and perseverance has been greatly appreciated and we hope that in the future you find using the application a quick and easy way to meet your DS NMDS reporting requirements.

ODC Users are encouraged to regularly read the "News" articles in ODC for specific news relating to the use of the application.

Resources available online

The following resources are available from the DS NMDS website to assist you with the DS NMDS data collection and can be found at the publications and resources page.

  • DS NMDS Data Guide: Data Items and Definitions 2004-05
  • DS NMDS Service Type Outlet Form 2004-05
  • DS NMDS Service User Form 2004-05
  • ODC System Administrator package

Diary dates

December 2004

  • Reference week 25-31 December.
  • DSQ (including Helpline) closed 25 December 2004 - 3 January 2005.

January 2005

  • Lodgement date for Dec quarter data 31 January.

A focus on quality data

Service Type Outlet: staff hours

When counting staff hours in Q5 and Q6 in the Service Type Outlet form, remember:

  • Time spent travelling to see a client is included here in staff hours, not in hours of service received by the client (Question 17).
  • Include hours worked by paid and unpaid administrative staff, managers and members of Boards/committees on behalf of this service type outlet.
  • If a "typical week" does not apply it is possible to calculate an average by adding all staff hours in a quarter (3 months) and dividing by 13.

Topic for next newsletter: Brokerage

Building Client Capacity

Good news! The positive feedback for the Client Capacity Building and Support (CCB&S) Project and the identification of a continuing need for training and support to service providers and those entering DS NMDS data, has resulted in an extension to the project. The CCB (Extension) Project will now run until the end of March 2005. With the DS NMDS Project Officers' ongoing support to agencies across the State we can continue to improve the communication and administrative processes that underpin the collection. In this way the Project will enhance the quality of data to better reflect the purpose of the DS NMDS funding received by agencies (as detailed and agreed in their General Service Agreements).

Please contact your (Regional) DS NMDS Project Officer for further information or support.

  • Ipswich/South West Queensland and South Coast Regions
    Penny Sampson - 0403 209 437
  • Brisbane and North Coast Regions
    Lynette Murray - 0403 209 436
  • Central Queensland/Wide Bay Region
    Edwardo Flores - 0403 209 433
  • North Queensland and Remote Regions
    Karen Borsody-Nagy - 0403 209 434

DSQ DS NMDS help available

If you have a query and cannot find the answer after checking the DS NMDS Resource Kit, either call the HelpLine or send an e-mail to us.

Remember, your call is important, so if the HelpLine is busy, leave a message on the voicemail and we will respond at the first opportunity.

DS NMDS HelpLine call rates

The DS NMDS HelpLine provides ongoing support to service providers across Queensland.

Requests for Help 2003-04

July to November 2004

  • Phone: 1,194
  • E-mail: 396
  • Total: 1,590

Monthly average

  • Phone: 239
  • E-mail: 79
  • Total: 318